GI Jane
by singntheshower
Summary: He couldn't get a college scholarship; she gave hers up. Either way, they both ended up in the same place - the U.S. Army.


A/N: This story is 100% A/U, but takes place present day. Rachel attended Carmel and Finn attended McKinley, but he was never in Glee club, so they never met. Because of this, his mom had also never met Burt Hummel, so she's still single. And for the story's sake, Finn's father really did die while serving his country in the army. The rest will become known as we go on. Enjoy :)

I own nothing.

G.I. Jane

Finn Hudson's hands were shaking as he took his seat on the bus. His army uniform felt a bit stiff since this was only his first time wearing it. He looked around at all of the other guys that were on the bus that was getting ready to head to the army base for training; they looked more excited and happy than he felt, but it was a little too late to back out of this.

After Finn failed to earn a scholarship to play college football, he decided that the army was his only other option. His dad had been in the U.S. Army and died while deployed, so Finn thought that joining would be like honoring his dad's memory. His mom wasn't a fan of this plan, but couldn't do much to stop her eighteen year old son from enlisting.

He could still see his mom, Carole, through the window, standing there in her denim jacket, hugging herself. Leaving her was going to be one of the hardest things he'd ever done, but he couldn't be a kid forever.

Someone's loud, booming voice made Finn jump and face forward. He was so nervous that he didn't quite catch what they said, but before he knew it, the bus started moving. Finn looked out the window as they pulled out of the Cincinnati bust station, leaving his old life behind.

The bus ride to Virginia was pretty long, but Finn's thoughts kept him busy during the ride. Hours into the trip, he heard what sounded like a woman's laugh from the front of the bus. He was slightly confused, not realizing that a girl was on the bus with all of these guys.

It's not like he was sexist or anything, but even he was nervous about joining the army. Any chick that did it was braver than he was.

Finn craned his head, trying to look toward the front of the bus to see what she looked like. All he could see was dark, shiny hair that was wrapped into a ballerina bun from where he was sitting. He resisted the urge to go and introduce himself. _That would be kind of weird anyway_, he figured.

But he did watch as she turned the guy next to her. Her hair shined in the sunlight that was pouring through the window of the bus. This detail distracted Finn for a few minutes and he found himself wondering what made her want to join the army in the first place.

-glee-glee-glee-

It was late evening when they pulled into a long driveway that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. Finn craned his neck, looking out the front window of the bus. He could see a large building beyond a fence that had soldiers standing outside of it. Finn then looked out the window to his right and saw that there were many other buildings that were within the confines of the fence.

They'd arrived that at the training base. Finn wrung his hands together before exhaling deeply.

This was it.

"When you step off the bus, grab your bag and walk into the main hall," a man with a deep voice ordered. "You'll receive your room assignments there."

The bus drove through the fence and came to a stop moments later. Finn's fellow soldiers stood up all around him and Finn followed suit. He was toward the rear of the bus, so he was one of the last ones to climb down the stairs and finally step onto the Virginia soil.

His bag was stuffed into the first baggage compartment toward the back of the bus, which meant that he had to awkwardly maneuver around people, which he did. Finn then stopped to wait in the short line.

He looked over the heads of the other guys and saw what the holdup was.

The girl from the bus was having trouble pulling her bag out from underneath everyone else's. Finn first noticed that she was pretty small – one of the smallest girls around his age that he'd ever seen. As she struggled with the bag, Finn couldn't just stand there and laugh with the other guys.

"Excuse me," Finn murmured to the guys in front of him. The guys all parted to the side and Finn made his way to the front of the line. "Do you need help with that?" he asked the girl. She huffed and looked at him with an annoyed look on her face. Finn was caught off guard.

Even with a scowl on her face, she was beautiful.

"I can do it," she insisted. She grabbed the handle to her bag with two hands and tugged with everything she had.

The bag barely moved.

"I'm sure you can do it, but we kinda gotta get a move on," Finn said, holding in a laugh.

"Fine," the girl snapped. She let go of the bag and stepped back. Finn grabbed the strap with one hand and jerked it quickly.

It came out with no problem.

"It's about time," a guy behind him complained. Finn took the girl's bag and stepped to the side to let the other guys through.

"Thank you," the girl said grudgingly. "I could have done it by myself though." Finn chuckled and held the bag out so she could grab it. It was the same army bag that everyone else had, but it looked too big for her since she was so short.

"You're welcome," Finn replied. She grabbed the bag and slung it over her shoulder with a girly grunt. "I'm Finn," he said, holding out his hand. The girl held out her hand as well, which looked like a child's hand compared to Finn's, and shook his hand with a firm grip.

"I'm Rachel Berry. Like a fruit," she explained with a smile, her voice kinder than before.

"My last name's Hudson. Like the river," Finn replied. Rachel laughed loudly and Finn felt like punching himself.

_Could you be any more lame_? he asked himself.

"Sorry I was short with you before," Rachel said once her laughter died off. "I just didn't want to embarrass myself in front of all of these guys, you know?"

"It's no big deal," Finn said quickly.

"But it is," Rachel insisted. "I'm a girl, so it's already strange that I've signed up for the armed forces. And I couldn't even grab my own bag, which could have reinforced a guy's belief that women aren't strong enough to be in the army."

"I think it's cool that girls are in the army and stuff," Finn replied. "I mean, there were some girls that were faster than me in gym class…"

"You're a rare breed, Finn," Rachel replied, smiling widely. "Not many men will admit that girls are better than them at things like that."

Finn shrugged. "It's the truth though," he said. "So where are you from?" Rachel suddenly looked around them and straightened up a bit.

"I'd love to continue this conversation, but we'd probably better head inside now," Rachel said. Finn looked around and noticed that only a few guys were still out there with them.

"Shit," he murmured. Finn quickly walked over to the luggage compartment and grabbed the only bag that was left – his. He then turned and Rachel was behind him, adjusting her bag on her back.

"Are you ready for this?" Rachel asked, motioning to the building in front of them.

"I guess we'll find out."

-glee-glee-glee-

Finn was assigned to a room with another guy that didn't really talk much. As they unpacked their things, Finn tried to make conversation with the guy, but he wouldn't really respond. He did speak up to take the top bunk though. And to tell Finn that his name was Matt.

An annoying bell made Finn jump, catching him off guard.

"What does that mean?" Finn asked his roommate.

"Dinner," Matt replied.

"Oh," Finn said lamely. "Thanks." With a wordless nod, Matt left the room. Finn continued looking through his things, finally spotting an army uniform in the closet with his last name stitched onto the right pocket. He ran his fingers over his last name, the realization finally setting in that he was in the army now.

He closed the closet door and noticed that his stomach was growling. Without another thought, Finn walked from the room, heading toward where he remembered the Sergeant from earlier said the mess hall was.

"Finn!" a voice yelled down the hallway. Finn turned and saw Rachel jogging toward him with a wide smile on her face. "Do you mind if I join you?" she asked as soon as she stopped by his side.

"Not at all," he replied with a smirk. "But don't you have a roommate?"

"I have the room to myself for now," Rachel replied. They both started walking again, keeping pace with one another. "Where's your roommate?"

"Went to eat already," Finn said. "I don't think he likes me very much."

"I'm sure he likes you," Rachel replied. "He's probably just different than you are, Finn."

"What do you mean by that?" Finn asked curiously.

"Well, you're very nice and sweet," Rachel said nonchalantly, looking forward as she spoke. Finn could feel himself blushing. "Your roommate might just feel like being in the army means he needs to be more serious. Does that make sense?" Finn thought for a few moments.

"Yeah," he replied. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," Rachel said, sounding chipper. They continued the walk to the mess hall in a companionable silence, Finn smiling just a bit the entire way.

They found a small table toward the rear of the mess hall and sat across from one another.

"So… what brings you to the army?" Finn asked before taking a bite of something that looked like oatmeal. He then made a weird face; it didn't taste like oatmeal. Rachel giggled lightly at his expression.

"Just thought I'd serve our country," Rachel replied simply, handling the taste of the oatmeal imposter better than he was.

"That's not what I mean," Finn said, shaking his head. "Like, I joined because my dad was in the army when I was a kid. He died when I was a baby, so I thought it would… you know, honor his memory if I joined." Rachel looked at him with pure concern in her eyes.

"I'm sorry about your dad," she said.

"Thanks," Finn replied with a small smile. "It's been a while though, so I'm alright."

"Well, I joined for my father, too," Rachel said.

"Did he serve?" Finn asked.

"No," Rachel replied. She then took a deep breath. "He was doing business in Palestine. He worked for an oil company and was on his way back to the airport when a bomb went off in the middle of the road," she said, looking down at the table. Her voice was quiet and Finn had to listen closely to hear her. "Everyone thought I was being overdramatic by enlisting, but I just thought that it was the only thing I could do to help and protect people."

Finn opened his mouth and then closed it again, at a loss for words.

"My other dad supported my decision eventually, but he's still worried about me," Rachel continued. "He tried talking me into going to college, but it didn't seem like the right thing to do anymore. And since I'm eighteen, he couldn't stop me."

"I'm… I'm really sorry, Rach," Finn said. Rachel brightened a little at the new nickname, but she still felt somber talking about things again.

"I appreciate that, Finn," Rachel replied with a nod. She then started eating her food again and Finn tried to do the same without making more funny faces.

"Wait… So you have two dads?" Finn asked once his tray was cleared; he was still hungry enough to eat it even though it was nasty.

Rachel nodded. "My dads are gay if you didn't catch on," Rachel said with a small smile. "I was adopted."

"Cool," Finn said. Rachel looked at him in confusion. "I mean the being gay thing," Finn said quickly. "I knew some gay kids at my school. They were pretty awesome."

"That's good to hear," Rachel laughed.

Finn was surprised at how easily he could talk to Rachel. He was even more surprised to learn that she was from Lima, Ohio, too. She went to Carmel, which was across town from his high school, McKinley.

"We probably walked right past each other in the grocery store or something at one point," Rachel said with a smile.

"Yeah," Finn chuckled. "That's kinda weird." Rachel laughed and agreed with him.

They talked until the mess hall started to clear. Rachel reminded him that they had to wake up at five for their first day of training, so they scrambled to clear their trays.

The conversation continued until they reached Finn's room.

"I'll see you in the morning, Finn," Rachel said.

"Yeah," Finn said with a smile. "Night, Rach."

"Goodnight," Rachel replied happily. With a final wave, she walked down the hallway.

By the time Finn was lying on the bottom bunk in his room, he realized that he hadn't stopped smiling.

-glee-glee-glee-

When the alarm went off at five the next morning, Finn stumbled around and rubbed his eyes as he got ready, feeling like a kid getting ready for school. His roommate was up rather quickly and got ready methodically, almost like he had practiced the entire thing. They didn't have to work out until six, but if Finn wanted breakfast, he couldn't shuffle around like a zombie all morning.

Twenty minutes later, Finn somehow managed to put on his gray t-shirt that said "ARMY" across the chest, dark green pants, and boots that he had been given earlier. He remembered to tuck his pants into his boots and his t-shirt into his pants according to regulations. Since his hair was so sort now, he didn't have to style it like he did in high school anymore, so he fixed his bed like the Sergeant told everyone they had to.

Matt, Finn's roommate, was finished getting ready and left their room without so much as a "see you later." Finn reminded himself of what Rachel had said, that Matt might just be more serious and less friendly than Finn was.

Finn wasn't too nervous about training too much since he'd always been playing sports and keeping in shape. As he walked to the mess hall, he did worry about Rachel a little bit. She was kind of small and didn't really seem like the type of girl that lifted weights in her spare time.

Finn grabbed his breakfast, which looked similar to last night's dinner. He looked around the mess hall and spotted Rachel at the table where they sat at dinner the previous night.

"Good morning, Finn," Rachel said, sounding as chipper as ever.

"You do know it's, like, five thirty in the morning, right?" Finn chuckled, still not feeling completely awake.

"Oh, I know," Rachel replied. "I'm a morning person." Finn set his tray down on the table and sat across from Rachel again.

"That doesn't really surprise me honestly," Finn said with a smirk. Instead of being offended, Rachel laughed. He guessed she'd heard that before.

During their breakfast conversation, Finn learned that it was originally Rachel's plan to be on Broadway before everything with her dad happened. She then promised to sing for him one day.

Finn shared more of his past with Rachel and she was a little shocked that Finn didn't really have any other post-graduation plans besides joining the army.

"But everyone has a dream, Finn," Rachel replied.

"I just… I never found mine," Finn said with a shrug.

"Well, you won't be in the army forever," Rachel said positively. "After that, you'll have plenty of time to figure out what your dream is." Rachel looked down at her plate to continue eating, but Finn found himself staring at her.

He couldn't explain it, but she was just different than everyone else was.

In a good way.

-glee-glee-glee-

Two miles into the run, Finn accepted the fact that he wasn't in as great of shape as he thought.

They had already scaled walls, climbed ropes, done pushups, and so many other things that made Finn feel like his lungs were going to explode. On the plus side, Finn wasn't the slowest one in the group.

Rachel was having a harder time than he was.

She was yelled at by the Staff Sergeant the entire time she struggled with climbing over the walls. Finn watched as her arms gave out after she completed thirty pushups. And since she was shorter than everyone else, it took her the longest to climb the rope.

But she still reached the top.

Finn looked behind him as he ran and saw that Rachel was still hanging on. She was beating some of the other guys, but she was still running slower than Finn was. That's not to say that Finn wasn't impressed.

The entire time she was being yelled at to try harder or go faster, Rachel grit her teeth and did as she was told. Finn didn't want to embarrass her by asking her if she was okay, so he just offered her a reassuring smile whenever she looked his way.

Finn felt like collapsing onto the ground when the three mile run was over. Everyone else around him was breathing heavily, with a few people wheezing like they had asthma or something. The Staff Sergeant announced that they could eat before meeting to start weapons training.

While the others filed inside, Finn took a seat on the pavement and took deep breaths, trying to slow his heart rate down some.

"At least we're alive," a weak voice said. Finn looked up and saw Rachel standing there. Her hands were on her hips as she breathed heavily and her bangs were sticking to her sweaty forehead.

"If they come out here and make me do anything else, I won't be," Finn replied. Rachel laughed breathlessly before taking a seat on the ground next to Finn.

"I'm surprised you're not on my case like everyone else is," she said once her breathing evened out.

"Why should I be? You're trying your hardest. I can tell," Finn replied. His breathing was back to normal, but his chest was still aching from exertion.

"That doesn't seem to matter," Rachel said. "I've been told at least four times already that I should quit. I guess trying your hardest isn't good enough in the eyes of some of these guys."

"Nah," Finn replied. "They just want you to quit so a girl isn't on the same level as them."

"You could be right," Rachel surmised. "So having me around doesn't bother you?" Rachel asked jokingly.

"You already know the answer to that… You're really the only friend I have here," Finn replied. "My own roommate won't talk to me and you don't have one, so we gotta help each other do this." Finn looked over at Rachel and saw that she was smiling at him.

"I know you can do this," Rachel said firmly. "And I'm too stubborn to quit, so it looks like they're going to have to get used to having us around."

"Guess so," Finn chuckled. "You hungry?"

"Starving," Rachel moaned, throwing her head back dramatically.

"Let's go then," Finn said with a wide smile. Rachel climbed to her feet and they walked into the mess hall.

Finn was actually looking forward to eating some more fake oatmeal.

-glee-glee-glee-

Whenever Finn and Rachel were with each other, it was like the rest of the world didn't matter. They even forgot they were in the United States Army and were able to relax and joke around. During training, Finn and Rachel had made friends with their fellow soldiers, but Finn considered Rachel his best friend over everyone else.

Well, she happened to be his best friend that he was developing romantic feelings for, but he couldn't act on those feelings while they were still in training. He thought that she liked him as more than a friend, too, but he was too worried about making things awkward, so he never brought the subject up.

And Rachel was such a stickler for rules that she wouldn't consider breaking them to pursue a relationship with Finn.

So, Finn was content with the way things were.

As the months passed, the physical training became easier; he could run five miles without feeling like his lungs were bleeding, could do fifty pushups without stopping, and could climb a rope faster than anyone else in their group.

Rachel was so much better than before that Finn considered her a pro at scaling walls. She was even one of the best shooters even though she told Finn in secret that she was scared of having to shoot someone.

Six months after the day they first met, Finn and Rachel were preparing to graduate from training. It wasn't like high school graduation, so their families weren't invited to the ceremony. But it still felt like high school graduation to Finn since he was about to go from "army school" to the real world… He wasn't sure if that made any sense, but Rachel said that it did.

Their graduation ended with a final salute, which Finn had been practicing since before he graduated from McKinley.

Everyone was offered the chance to go home on leave for a week, but Finn and Rachel both decided that they'd rather just be deployed right away. Plus, Finn was sure that if he went home, he wouldn't want to leave again.

"Congratulations," Rachel said with a bright smile.

"Same to you," Finn replied happily. He opened his arms and Rachel stepped forward to hug him tightly. Sure, she was small, but holding her in his arms felt comfortable and right, like they were meant to hold one another. Finn then told himself to never say that out loud since it sounded so corny.

The hug lasted longer than most people hugged, but Rachel didn't seem to mind when she let go.

"I talked to Staff Sergeant Peterson and he said that we'll have our orders tonight," Rachel said, her happiness turning into nervousness.

"Already?" Finn asked, sounding surprised. Rachel nodded.

"What if we're not in the same troop?" Rachel asked worriedly. "I mean, I did that extra training to be a medic, but what if the troop you're assigned to doesn't need one?"

"I don't know," Finn said honestly. "I mean, that'll suck, but we can't really do anything about it, you know?"

"You're right," Rachel replied. "I just… You helped me get through this, Finn. I couldn't imagine not fighting alongside you. And I care about you, so how will I ever know if you're hurt or something if we're not together?"

Finn's throat tightened. He hadn't really thought about that yet. He always just kind of figured that Rachel would be there like she had been for the last six months. No one else knew Rachel like he did, so how could they calm her down when she was upset or something? Or what if they made fun of her for being so energetic and peppy all the time? Finn liked the fact that she was always so excited, but others usually thought she was annoying more than anything.

"Let's just not worry about that until after we get our orders, okay?" Finn suggested. In all honesty, he didn't want to think about it right now, so he was more than willing to push it off until later.

"Okay," Rachel agreed. "How do you always know what to say? It's like you know the exact thing to say that will calm me down," Rachel said with a smile.

Finn shrugged. "That's what best friends are for," he said, returning the smile.

Later that evening, Finn was called from the mess hall to the Master Lieutenant's office. He smiled nervously at Rachel before making his way to Master Lieutenant Heil's office. Once he got there, Finn was handed an envelope and returned to his room before opening it.

Troop 236. Finn was now a member of Troop 236 of the United States Army for the War in Iraq. The whole thing was kind of surreal.

Within half an hour's time, Rachel walked into his room, holding her own envelope.

"Did you open it yet?" Finn asked quickly before scrambling off of his bed. Rachel shook her head and looked more scared than Finn had ever seen her. "Rach, you're not gonna even know if you should be freaking out if you don't open it."

"You have a point," Rachel muttered. She looked from Finn's face to the envelope in her hands, surprised to see that her hands were shaking just a bit. She put a finger under the edge of the envelope and tore it open quickly. She pulled the piece of paper out and unfolded it. Finn held his breath the entire time that Rachel read the letter.

"Please tell me you're in Troop 236," Rachel said hopefully.

"Are you serious?" Finn asked, his eyes bugging out.

"Yes. Why?" Rachel asked in confusion.

"Because you're looking at the newest member of Troop 236, stationed in Iraq," Finn said with a broad smile. Finn jumped when Rachel squealed excitedly and was caught off guard again when she threw herself at him and hugged him with her letter still in her hands.

Finn laughed and hugged her in return, feeling truly happy that he and Rachel weren't going to be separated.

Now, he could watch her back and she could watch his.

They'd keep each other safe.

At least that's what Finn told himself.

-glee-glee-glee-

Finn's hands were clammy on the plane. They'd been in the air for five hours already and most of the soldiers sitting around him were somehow sleeping even though this plane ride was anything but quiet or comfortable. The only other person that seemed to be awake was sitting right next to him – Rachel.

Her leg was bouncing, which Finn knew happened when she was either excited, nervous, or scared. And he also knew Rachel well enough to know that she was more scared than excited to finally arrive in Iraq; he felt the exact same way.

"Are you sure we're ready for this?" Rachel leaned over and asked loudly, trying to talk above the noise of the loud aircraft.

"If the Lieutenant and Sergeants think we're ready, I think we are," Finn said into her ear. Rachel looked at him and smiled timidly.

Suddenly, the plane jerked violently and Rachel lunged out and grabbed Finn's hand, squeezing it tightly. He glanced over at her and she was looking up worriedly. To help calm her down, he interlocked his fingers with hers and clutched her hand. Rachel looked back at Finn and her smile was more genuine this time.

Finn then leaned his head back and took a few deep, calming breaths.

The rest of the plane ride, they continued holding one another's hands, wordlessly comforting each other.

-glee-glee-glee-

If there was one word that Finn could use to describe Iraq, it would be _hot_. He and Rachel both thought that summers in Lima were cruel, but that was nothing compared to days where the average temperature was well over 110 degrees.

Since Finn and Rachel arrived, Troop 236 hadn't really seen much action, which Finn was grateful for. It's not like he wasn't proud of being in the military or wasn't prepared to do his job, but all of the other soldiers in his troop shared stories about ambushes and attacks that some people hadn't survived. These stories worried Finn and made him wonder if he could handle seeing something like that.

By the second week of running patrol with his troop, Finn was used to sweating profusely all over his body. Rachel had even stopped complaining so much about it being hot outside. But she still offered to take night patrol whenever the option was available. And whenever Rachel went on patrol, Finn opted to go with her.

They had to watch each other's backs, after all.

Three months into their deployment, Rachel and Finn were on night patrol.

"Eyes open everyone!" Master Sergeant Jameson barked out to the convoy. Finn didn't really need to be reminded to pay attention to his surroundings; he was already on edge and alert tonight. Word had spread that rebel forces had infiltrated a tiny town less than a mile from the army base, so Finn's troop rounded up and started patrolling the area.

Finn was in the back of a large jeep with four other guys, scanning the area. He could also see Rachel from where he was sitting; she was keeping an eye out from the passenger seat of the jeep. Another jeep was in front of them with a third bringing up the rear, and all were full of soldiers.

Finn and the others all had their guns at the ready; the safety switches were off and the guns were pointed wherever the soldier holding it was looking. Now wasn't the time to take chances.

The tiny town only had a few residents, so the streets were pitch black and dangerous with only two streetlights illuminating the entire main road.

That's why no one saw the bomb until it blew up the first jeep in the convoy.

Finn was blinded by the bright light and felt the searing heat from the blast before he heard the sound of an explosion. Once his thoughts registered, he looked all around him for the enemy.

Then suddenly, gun fire erupted from the area to his left. Finn and the others all jumped out of the jeep and ran to its right side to use it as cover. The sound of gunshots and yelling filled the air, making it almost impossible for Finn to distinguish what he was hearing.

After narrowing in on the area where the gunfire was coming from and spotting people shooting at his fellow soldiers from the roof, Finn aimed his weapon and shot. He watched as a man on the roof suddenly dropped. Finn wasn't positive that his bullet had wounded the guy, so he continued to keep his attention around that general area just in case the man tried to return a few rounds.

No matter how many rounds Finn and his buddies fired, there were still plenty more enemy soldiers firing back at them. He wasn't sure how many opponents were left; he wasn't even sure how many of his own fellow soldiers were still standing.

Finn hadn't deciphered any of the noise around him until he heard Rachel yelling his name. With his weapon still pointing forward, Finn looked around wildly, trying to spot her.

He found her tiny form crouched down by a small wall just a few feet from him. Finn looked forward and fired a few more shots toward the roof before tucking his gun into his side and running toward Rachel.

She moved to the side and Finn crouched down beside her, his breathing accelerated.

"Were you hit?" he asked worriedly, looking all over her body for injuries.

"No," Rachel said quickly. "One of the guys from the blown up truck is still alive." Finn's eyes widened and he peeked over the top of the small wall toward the jeep that was still ablaze and lying on its side. On the ground beside it, Finn could see a guy lying there.

"How do you know he's alive?" Finn asked in a rush.

"I just saw him move," Rachel replied, shouting over the noise of the gunshots. "Now, I need you to cover me so I can go survey his injuries."

"I'll go," Finn said quickly. In order to get through the guy, Rachel would have to run through an open space. Finn didn't like the thought of that at all.

"Finn, I'm the medic," Rachel said firmly. "This is my job, so let me do it." Finn looked into her eyes, which were only barely visible thanks to the fire from the jeep. He could see that she made up her mind. If there's one thing Finn knew about Rachel, it was that she was stubborn. If she wanted to do something, there was no talking her out of it.

"Alright," Finn said with a nod. He picked up his gun and rested it on the short wall. "I've got your back."

"Thank you," Rachel said. She reached out and gripped his arm tightly before adjusting her own gun over her shoulder, moving it out of the way so that she could run more easily. She stayed low and moved to the edge of the wall, away from Finn, before looking back at him.

"Go!" Finn yelled. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Rachel ran faster than she ever had in her entire life. He quickly then returned his gaze to the area around them, looking for danger. He spotted a man leaning around the corner of a building with his gun pointed toward Rachel. Without a second thought, Finn fired a few rounds and the guy fell to the ground, motionless.

Finn peeked over the top of the wall and looked toward the jeep. He saw Rachel crouched over the soldier, her hands working over him feverishly. He then looked back around the site, realizing that the gunfire wasn't as frequent as before. Since things were slowing down, he spared another glance at Rachel and saw that she was digging something out of the bag on her back. The pride that he felt at that moment, watching her trying to save someone's life, overwhelmed him.

"Hold your fire!" a deep voice boomed through the night. Finn immediately removed his finger from the trigger, moving his hand to the side of the weapon in case he needed to fire quickly. Finn was still completely alert as he heard two of his fellow soldiers dispatched to clear the area. He watched anxiously as they jogged toward the building where most of the gunshots were coming from.

Every few seconds, Finn switched between covering the guys' backs and Rachel's. After what felt like a lifetime of waiting tensely, a soldier gave the all clear.

Finn stood up with his gun still at the ready, not quite trusting the dark area. He then made his way over to Rachel.

"How is he?" Finn panted, crouching by her side.

"He's passed out," Rachel said in a businesslike manner. "His right arm is broken, which I've set, but there could still be other internal injuries that I can't find. And I think I feel a couple broken ribs on the right side as well."

"Can he be moved?" Finn asked.

"We'll need some sort of stretcher, but I think so," Rachel said with a nod.

"No need for that," a voice said. Finn turned and looked up to see Master Sergeant Jameson standing there. "I just radioed in for help and told them we have some casualties and injuries. Reinforcements are gonna take these guys back."

"Yes, sir," Rachel said dutifully.

"Good job, Petty Officer Berry," Jameson said with a nod. Rachel offered him a tight smile before he turned on his heel and marched away. Finn heard rustling and turned to see Rachel grabbing a rag out of her bag. She then reached forward and wiped the face of the soldier gently, removing the dirt and grime.

"You okay?" Finn asked softly. "You seem a little off."

"How exactly am I supposed to act when I know that I killed someone, Finn?" Rachel asked, her voice firm but her movements still gentle.

"Rach, you can't let it bother you every time," Finn replied. Rachel looked up at him with a sad look on her face.

"Finn, this is the first time I've had to kill someone to protect us in the entire three months that we've been here," Rachel said. "Usually, the patrols I'm on are quiet or I'm too busy being a medic to fire my weapon… I know that we're in the army and I know that they're the enemy, but it still bothers me."

"I'm sorry," Finn murmured.

"Don't be sorry," Rachel said quickly. "I'm the one that signed up for this. I just need to accept the fact that I'm not the innocent girl that I was before."

"You're still the same Rachel," Finn insisted. Rachel looked into his eyes.

"Not really. Not anymore," she said sadly.

Rachel sat by Finn on the way back to the base. The guy that Rachel treated was taken to the medical facility to undergo more tests to make sure he was going to be okay. The entire ride, Finn couldn't help but compare himself with Rachel. She was bothered by having to kill someone, but he shot at people without even a second thought most of the time.

Sure, he felt bad, but he knew that it was his job to defend and protect his fellow soldiers. But Rachel seemed to be best at helping them when they were hurt. She didn't end lives; she saved them.

But realizing this didn't make Finn think any less of himself or Rachel. He knew that they were in a unique situation that not many other people face in their lifetime. And for two kids from Lima, they were doing pretty well at surviving in the army.

It did take Finn a couple of days and dozens of corny jokes to get Rachel to smile again though.

-glee-glee-glee-

Ten months into their two year deployment, Finn felt like complete and total crap. In fact, Finn had never felt worse in his entire life. He wasn't quite sure what happened, but one morning he woke up and didn't have one trace of energy. His head was all foggy and just thinking about moving made him want to cry. When he didn't report to breakfast, Rachel went to check on him.

"What are you still doing in bed?" she asked as she walked over to his cot.

"Sick," Finn murmured.

"Oh no," Rachel groaned. Finn opened his eyes as widely as he could.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked.

"It's probably nothing, but we've got at least five guys in the infirmary with high fevers," Rachel said. She walked over to the side of his bed and sat on the edge. Then, she reached out and placed her hand on Finn's forehead gently and his eyes closed slowly.

"Looks like you've got a fever, too," Rachel huffed. "Can you walk with me to the infirmary?"

"I don't wanna," Finn whined, making Rachel laugh.

"Finn, we need to get you quarantined before this spreads to everyone else," Rachel said patiently. Finn opened his eyes again and saw that Rachel was looking down at him with concern.

"Fine," Finn murmured. Rachel stood up quickly and helped Finn get to his feet. He stumbled a bit, feeling completely and totally out of gas. Rachel wrapped an arm around his midsection and Finn put his arm around Rachel's shoulder and they made their way to the medical tent together.

"Wow. 102.6," Rachel murmured after pulling the thermometer out of Finn's mouth.

"Is that bad?" Finn asked lazily.

"It's not good," Rachel laughed. "We'll get you some antibiotics and let you rest." Finn hadn't had his hair cut in a while, so Rachel pushed his locks off of his sweaty forehead. She smiled down at him sweetly. Finn smiled back up at her, thinking that she'd never looked more beautiful.

"I love you," Finn said as clearly as his rough voice would allow. Rachel sat up straighter and looked surprised.

"That fever's making you delirious, Finn," Rachel said awkwardly.

"It's not," Finn insisted sleepily.

"Just… just get some rest, Finn," Rachel said, sounding less cheerful than before. "I'll go get your medicine." By the time Rachel made it back to Finn's cot with the antibiotics, he was fast asleep.

Five days later, Finn walked into the mess hall tent with a new bounce in his step.

"You look like you're feeling better," Rachel giggled as he sat next to her.

"I am thanks to my awesome nurse," Finn said with a smile.

"I'm a medic, not a nurse," Rachel replied with a cheeky smile.

"My mistake," Finn replied with a chuckle.

"I'll forgive you if you tell me how much you love me again," Rachel said with a smirk.

"What?" Finn asked abruptly. "I don't… what are you talking about?"

"You insisted that you loved me while you had a fever," Rachel explained, the smile not leaving her face.

"But I-"

"I'm sure you only meant it in a best friend kind of way," Rachel said nonchalantly.

"Yeah," Finn agreed. He picked up his fork and started moving his food around the plate, waiting for the awkward moment to pass. Five minutes later, they started talking about what happened while Finn was sick in the infirmary.

But later that night, when Finn and Rachel were on patrol together, he couldn't help but think about what he told Rachel while he was sick. It was obvious that he wasn't thinking clearly because of the fever, but that didn't mean that what he said wasn't true. Rachel really was the person that Finn was closest to. Not only did she know everything about him, but he could talk with her about being in the army; his mother wouldn't understand something like that.

He looked over at her as she sat across from him. Several things clicked into place at once.

She was his best friend.

He'd die for her.

He really did love her.

But there was nothing he could really do about it while in the army.

-glee-glee-glee-

While they weren't battling the enemy every day, things were still tense when Finn and Rachel were on patrol. Not only did they have to keep a look out for people with guns, but they had to watch every single step they took and had to scour the roads to make sure they didn't hit any IEDs. Since a roadside bomb killed Rachel's dad, that was the one thing she was the most afraid of.

Of course, no one knew that fact besides Finn.

And even if they weren't on patrol, Finn and Rachel worried about their fellow soldiers that were in potential danger. Rachel lost count of how many people she had helped save. She also lost count of how many American soldiers were lost.

She blamed herself at first for not being skilled enough to save them, but, over time, she used their deaths as a motivation to do better and help more people.

"Just think… in less than six months, we'll be heading home," Finn said happily. He and Rachel were sitting outside of the mess hall tent, looking out across the desert landscape.

"It's exciting, but aren't you worried about what happens when we'll go home?" Rachel asked, the worry unconcealed in her tone.

"What do you mean?" Finn asked, looking over at her.

"Well, take me for example… I have trouble sleeping most nights. And we're used to this strange schedule and all of this structure, you know? They tell us when to wake up, when to eat, when to sleep…" she explained. "I'm just a little worried about readjusting to normal life again."

"But we'll be home again," Finn replied. "With our family and friends. They'll help us with it."

"You might have tons of family and friends to rely on, but I only have my dad at home. And when I left, he was still struggling with my daddy's death," Rachel replied.

"So, what? You're gonna stop talking to me when we get back to Lima?" Finn asked.

"I didn't say that," Rachel said quickly. "I just thought that you'd want to get back to the way things were. And before all of this, you and I didn't know each other."

"Rach, I'd rather stay here an extra year instead of stop talking to you," Finn said firmly. Rachel surprised him by laughing. He looked at her questioningly.

"You sound like me. Overdramatic…" she explained.

"I don't know how I should take that," Finn admitted.

"Oh, take it as a compliment," Rachel said with a smile. "Being similar to Rachel Berry is something most people strive toward." Finn laughed loudly.

"You're pretty cocky all of a sudden," Finn observed.

"I'm never cocky, Finn. Only confident," Rachel clarified. Finn rolled his eyes with a wide smile.

Yeah, he really loved this girl.

Finn and Rachel's joking demeanors disappeared when word came in that the other convoy was under attack and needed reinforcements. Like dutiful soldiers, Finn and Rachel climbed into the back of a jeep with their guns at the ready.

"Be careful out there," Finn instructed as the jeep took off.

"You, too," Rachel replied with a short-lived smile.

The jeeps drove further than they had before, heading to a place where Finn hadn't been yet. He could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins and he forced himself to focus on the task at hand instead of paying attention to the scenery. Before they knew it, the soldiers could hear the sounds of gunfire in the distance.

"Hudson! Franks! Berry! Holmes! Fan out to the left! Everyone else to the right!" Master Sergeant Jameson shouted. The jeep came to a stop right outside of the small town. "Go!" Jameson yelled. The soldiers jumped out of the back of the jeep and hit the ground running. Finn, Rachel, and the two others went to the left, as they were told, and stopped at a wall.

"Stay alert, guys," Finn said before peeking around the corner. He looked toward the roofs and the other buildings, but didn't see any strange movement. "Let's go!" Finn ordered. He ran point, leading his small group toward the action. They stopped before they hit the corner of each building and Finn looked out for danger.

After they had been running for a few minutes, they finally located the action. Finn could see his fellow soldiers using everything they could as cover – cars, walls, buildings…

"Should the four of us fan out more?" Holmes asked.

"I think we should," Finn replied. "Hit them from behind and catch them off guard." He looked to Rachel and saw nothing but determination on her face. "Let's go!" Finn immediately set off down a small alley. Before he made it to the main street, a man with a cloth covering most of his face rounded the corner. The man didn't have the chance to raise his rifle before Finn fired three shots into his chest.

Finn stepped over the man's body and made his way to the street. He looked up and spotted someone on a roof. He was dressed similarly to the man Finn had just shot and was firing at Finn's buddies. Finn raised his gun and aimed before pulling the trigger. The first shot was a little wide, but the next two hit the man's chest and he fell from sight.

Still looking through the scope on his gun, Finn watched as the enemy fell around him; it looked like Finn's group was turning the tides and winning the battle. Finn looked to his right and didn't see anything coming toward him.

Then, he looked to his left and saw something he never wanted to see.

Rachel was down.

He knew it was her. She was the only girl in their troop and the person on the ground had their hair in a ballerina bun. Without a second thought, Finn took off toward Rachel, the sounds of random gunfire not registering in his mind. He ran faster than his legs would allow and fell to his knees as soon as he got to her.

She was lying with her face in the ground, her body twisted oddly. Finn grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and turned her over so that she was face up.

"Rach!" he shouted, shaking her shoulders. "Rachel, wake your ass up!" He continued shaking her, wanting and needing her to wake up and be fine. He looked all over her for the wound, finally spotting it on her left leg. There was a puddle of blood in the sand and her pants were soaked through with the red liquid.

"Finn?" he heard her moan. Finn looked from her leg to her face and saw that she was looking up at him blearily.

"Stay with me, Rach," Finn ordered. "You're going to be fine." A shot hit the wall next to Finn's head. He ducked down, throwing himself over Rachel. "We gotta get out of here!"

"Finn, I can't walk," Rachel replied shakily.

"Then I'll drag you," he insisted. Finn looked all around them before standing back up quickly. He grabbed Rachel's arms and started pulling her backwards, the blood from her leg leaving a trail behind them.

He finally stopped dragging her once they were safely behind a building.

"You're the medic. How bad is it?" Finn asked.

"It hit the femoral artery, Finn," Rachel replied, her voice losing its strength. "I'll bleed out before we make it back to camp."

"No you won't," Finn replied firmly. "What do I have to do?"

"Finn, it's no use-"

"You're not allowed to give up, Rachel," Finn snapped. "I won't let you." Rachel looked into his eyes and Finn could see the tears forming.

"I need you to make a tourniquet," Rachel replied softly. Finn quickly pulled his bag off of his back and pulled out an old rag. He ripped it into a long strip. "Tie it at the top of my leg. Tightly," Rachel ordered.

Finn did as he was told, tying the cloth tightly around her leg. He was concerned that he was hurting her, but she didn't say anything.

"Now what?" Finn panted, still freaking out.

"I think it's a through and through…" Rachel's eyes closed, but she forced them back open. "It's going to be hard to stop the bleeding."

"Give me your bag," Finn demanded. With slow movements, Rachel took her bag off her back and handed it to Finn. He could tell that she was barely hanging on.

Finn opened her bag and searched around for her first aid kit. He grabbed a handful of gauze pads and some tape before throwing the first aid kit to the side. Finn then reached out and grabbed Rachel's pant leg, ripping the material so that he could see her wound.

He had to stop himself from throwing up. Her leg was bleeding heavily and the bullet wound was incredibly painful looking. Instead of chickening out, Finn steeled himself and pressed a gauze pad to her leg. He expected her to scream in pain or something, but Rachel didn't utter a word.

Finn looked up in alarm and saw that Rachel's eyes were closed. Maybe it was a good thing she passed out.

He then worked quickly, pressing a couple of gauze pads to the back of her leg. Then, he used the rest of the cloth from earlier and wrapped it around her leg, holding the gauze pads in place. He secured it all with medical tape and prayed that it would help stop the bleeding so they could get some help.

With shaky hands, Finn checked her neck for a pulse, exhaling sharply in relief when he found one. It was slow, but it was still there.

Finn stood and threw his and Rachel's bags onto his back and slung his gun strap over his shoulder before picking her up. She laid in his arms limply, but Finn knew that she would be okay. She had to be okay.

He then ran back toward where the jeeps were, keeping an eye out for danger the entire way; it wouldn't make much sense to try and save Rachel if they ended up getting shot at again. He figured that the battle was over when he didn't hear any more gunshots. He did spot the rest of his troop by the jeeps when he rounded the corner with Rachel in his arms.

"Hudson! What happened?" Jameson demanded.

"Shot through the leg," Finn panted as he came closer. When he made it to the jeep, he set her down carefully, not wanting to jostle her. "Was anyone else hurt?" he asked.

"Just some minor injuries," Jameson replied. "Let's get going!"

With a nod, Finn jumped into the back of the jeep. The others piled in and the jeep took off seconds later. Finn looked down at his hands, just now noticing that they were covered in Rachel's blood.

Every minute or so, Finn checked Rachel's pulse to make sure he hadn't lost her.

-glee-glee-glee-

By the time the convoy made it back to base, Rachel had bled through the gauze pads. Finn followed the other medics into the tent, refusing to leave Rachel's side.

She had lost a lot of blood, but was still holding on.

Finn was forced to leave so they could do emergency surgery to repair the artery in Rachel's leg. He spent ten minutes scrubbing his hands clean and holding in tears.

Then, he played the waiting game.

However, it wasn't anything like waiting for someone at the hospital. After a few hours, Finn was commanded to go on patrol again. Thankfully, he made it back safe and sound and was told that Rachel made it through surgery.

She had an IV in her arm and was incredibly pale, but she was alive. Finn slept in an uncomfortable chair by her cot that night.

Two days later, he received some of the best news.

The President of the United States ordered that all troops be removed from Iraq and sent home. Finn spared some time and had a beer with the rest of the troop, but wished that Rachel would have been awake to celebrate with him.

-glee-glee-glee-

The next night, Rachel opened her eyes and looked around in confusion.

"It's about time!" she heard someone say happily. Rachel looked to her right and saw Finn sitting forward in a chair, smiling widely at her.

"Hey," she said with a scratchy voice. "How long have I been out?"

"Just three days," Finn replied. "You lost a lot of blood."

"They were able to repair the artery, right?" Rachel asked abruptly. She sat up quickly and reached down, exhaling in relief when she felt her leg still attached to her body.

"Don't worry, they didn't have to chop it off," Finn chuckled. "You're probably done with the military though."

Rachel shook her head. "But I can't just leave," she insisted. "I can't go back to Lima with you still here."

"Don't worry about me," Finn said with a smile. "I'm going home, too."

Rachel gasped. "You're not thinking of running, are you?" she asked worriedly. "You could be arrested for that!"

Finn laughed. "All troops are being sent home from Iraq," he explained. "President's orders."

"So we're done?" Rachel asked, a smile lighting up her face.

"Yeah," Finn confirmed.

"That's amazing news," Rachel said.

"I already called home and everything. My mom's getting a hold of your dad and they're gonna throw us a welcome home party," Finn said. "We should be home in a week." Rachel's smile was wide and blinding and Finn found himself smiling in return.

"Thank you, Finn," Rachel said.

"For what?" he asked.

"You kind of saved my life," Rachel replied. "Did you forget about that?"

"No, I just… I was doing my job, really," Finn said, blush coloring his cheeks. Rachel laughed.

"That doesn't change the fact that you saved me, Finn," Rachel said. "If you hadn't spotted me, I probably wouldn't be going home alive."

"I told you I had your back," Finn replied with a shrug. He looked up and saw Rachel bite her lip. She then sat up more and leaned toward Finn.

"Come here," she said, motioning for him to come forward with her finger. Finn swallowed deeply but sat forward until his face was inches from Rachel's.

"What are you doing?" he asked quietly. Rachel reached a hand out and wrapped it around the back of Finn's neck and pulled him forward until their lips were touching. Finn was shocked at first, but then he realized that he was _finally _kissing the woman he was in love with. He pulled away for a second before smiling and lunging forward again, his lips now attacking hers.

Finn felt this burning sensation in his lower stomach as they kissed, his lips molding around hers effortlessly.

All too soon, they pulled away from one another.

Rachel looked from his lips back up into his eyes and smiled. Finn chuckled and smiled back at her.

-glee-glee-glee-

"Are you sure you've got it?" Rachel asked. She was hobbling along on crutches, walking through the airport.

"I think I can carry two bags, Rach," Finn chuckled. They hadn't kissed again since that first time in the medical tent a week ago, but Finn couldn't help but feel like things had shifted between them.

As they walked through the airport, people would smile and nod at Finn and Rachel, who were still wearing their uniforms. The plane had just landed in Ohio and they hadn't had the chance to change yet. Some kids even came up to them and hugged them or said 'thank you'. That was Finn's favorite part.

"How long is the car ride?" Rachel asked, sounding slightly worried as they made their way toward the parking lot.

"My mom said it should be about an hour," Finn replied. "Don't worry. She's bringing the van so you can stretch your leg out."

"Thanks for helping make all of these arrangements for me," Rachel said.

"It's not big deal, Rach," Finn insisted with a smile.

After a long trek through the airport, Finn finally spotted his mom standing by their family van. She squealed, making him laugh. He set the bags down quickly and rushed toward her, lifting her up as he hugged her.

"It's so good to have you home," Carole cried. She had always been a heavy crier.

"I'm glad to see you too, mom," Finn replied, squeezing her tightly for emphasis. Moments later, he set her down and turned toward Rachel, only to laugh when he saw her balancing on one leg and wiping the tears from her eyes.

Carole walked toward Rachel with a kind smile on her face and held her arms out. Rachel continued balancing on her leg and hugged Finn's mom.

"I'm glad to finally meet you, sweetie," Carole said.

"Same here," Rachel replied. "Finn's told me so much about you." Carole let go of Rachel and stepped back.

"I could say the same thing," Carole laughed. "Are the two of you ready for your homecoming party?"

"Totally," Finn said with a wide smile. Rachel nodded in agreement.

Finn helped Rachel into the van and put their bags in the back before sitting shotgun. Finn talked with his mom excitedly, talking about all of the people that were waiting at their house for him to get home.

Ten minutes into the ride, Finn looked back at Rachel and saw that she was sleeping.

"Is she always so tired?" Carole asked.

"Ever since she was shot, yeah," Finn replied. "She lost tons of blood and the medic said it'll take a while for her to feel like herself again."

"What about her leg?"

"She'll need physical therapy, but she should be fine," Finn said with a smile. He knew that she was still in pain most days, but he was truly happy that she'd be alright eventually.

"I'm very proud of you, Finn," Carole said. "And I'm sure your dad would be proud, too."

Finn smiled widely. That's all he ever wanted to hear.

So, the welcome home party was totally _insane_. All of his friends from high school showed up, including most members of the football team. Basically his entire block was involved in the party, too. Even though he was still underage, he had a beer shoved in his hand and no one even said anything about it.

One of the coolest parts of the entire night was seeing Rachel reunite with her dad. Rachel was crying and her dad was crying and Finn's mom was crying. Sure, it was awkward with everyone crying, but Finn knew they were crying because they were happy, which made it pretty awesome.

It was getting late in the night and the party was finally calming down a bit. Rachel insisted that Finn show her his bedroom after someone told her that he had cowboy wallpaper. Finn begrudgingly helped her up the stairs and led her into his room. When he turned on the light, he was surprised and glad to see that his mom hadn't changed anything; his drums were still in the corner and there were even some dirty clothes on the floor.

"This room is you personified," Rachel said with a wide smile.

"Is that a good thing?" Finn asked in confusion.

"I think so," Rachel replied. "After all, my room's bright yellow and has Broadway posters everywhere. I think your room should be a reflection of you."

"Yeah," Finn agreed. He noticed that Rachel was struggling a bit with the crutches. "You can sit on the bed if you want," he said quickly.

"Thank you," Rachel said gratefully. She hobbled over to the bed and plopped down. Finn took her crutches from her and leaned them against the wall before joining her on the bed. "What do we do now?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean we're done," Rachel said. "Unless we're called back into duty, we're home for good. So what do we do now?"

"I don't know," Finn admitted. "I never really thought about it."

"I guess there's still time to figure out our careers," Rachel said. "But… do you know what you want to do about us?" Finn looked up at her and could see the slightest bit of worry in her eyes.

"I'm not really sure about that either," Finn muttered. Rachel smiled tightly and nodded.

"I figured that things would change once we were back home," Rachel said quietly.

"Wait. What?" Finn asked.

"It made sense that we got closer in Iraq. We were from the same place and spent most of our time together," Rachel explained. "Now that you're not stuck with me anymore, I understand why you would want some space."

"No, Rach," Finn said quickly. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" Rachel asked.

"Rach, I… I love you," he said firmly. "I might not know if we should move in together or how fast we should go with this or anything, but I know that I love you."

"How can you be so sure?" Rachel asked. "We're not in danger anymore, Finn. You don't have to rely on me, so those feelings could go away." Finn looked at Rachel incredulously.

"You can't just stop loving someone," he insisted. "And anyway, I thought about it and I'm pretty sure I loved you before we even had to depend on each other, so what you said before doesn't matter."

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked in a small voice.

"Yeah," Finn said confidently. "But what about you?"

"Oh, I'm pretty sure I loved you ever since you told me your last name was Hudson. Like the river, remember?" Rachel said with a wide smile. Finn started blushing again, feeling embarrassed.

All thoughts of embarrassment left Finn's mind when Rachel pulled him forward by the shirt of his uniform and kissed him.

-glee-glee-glee-

Within six months of being home, Finn proposed to Rachel. Not surprisingly, she said yes. Soon after, they bought a small house together in Columbus, Ohio, where they were both enrolled in school at Ohio State. Rachel was majoring in Music and Drama and Finn was studying to become a teacher.

Two months after Finn proposed, Rachel learned that she was pregnant. Any worries or concerns she had about having a child in college were erased when she saw how excited and supportive Finn was. The day after finding out he was going to be a dad, Finn came home from the store with a stuffed elephant for the baby.

One year after coming home from Iraq, an almost four-months-pregnant Rachel was sitting on her and Finn's bed. She was wearing shorts and was running her hand over her scar from where she was shot. The physical therapy was a complete success and she had total use of her leg, but she would always have a scar.

Finn walked into their bedroom with his hair damp from his shower.

"Something wrong, Rach?" he asked. He tossed his towel into the dirty laundry hamper before joining Rachel on the bed.

"Nothing's _wrong_, really," Rachel insisted. "I was just thinking about the baby…"

"What about the baby?" Finn asked curiously. He grabbed Rachel's hand that was rubbing her scar and interlocked their fingers. "What is it?"

"What are we going to tell the baby about the army?" she asked. "I mean, what if he or she sees this scar when they get older? Are we going to tell them everything? About how the both of us have killed people? And what if we do tell them and they look at us differently or even hate us for it?"

"Babe, we have time to figure it out," Finn said quietly. "Besides, other people that were in the army have kids and I'm pretty sure their kids don't hate them."

"But what if our kid happens to be a pacifist, Finn?" Rachel asked worriedly. "I don't want our child to hate me. Or you."

"Rach, I can't tell you what's gonna happen 'cause I don't know," Finn said. He ran his thumb over the back of her hand soothingly. "But I do know that I'll be there for you and the baby no matter what. Even if our kid grows up to be one of those teenagers that yells that they hate us all the time, I'm still gonna be there to help you deal with them. We'll deal with everything together." Rachel smiled up at him gratefully.

"Thank you," she said before reaching forward to peck him on the lips.

"Any time," Finn replied.

"And don't worry, I've got your back, too," Rachel said. "Like always."

THE END

-glee-glee-glee-

A/N: I hope you liked this long one-shot! Please remember that reviews make me incredibly happy! You could even send me a tweet to tell me what you thought. ( singntheshower) Thank you so much for reading!

Until next time!


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